# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S220 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 220 STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTION WHEREAS, Two of the Synod’s colleges (Concordia, St. Paul, and Christ College Irvine) are, with the approval of the Synod’s Board for Professional Education Services, preparing workers for professional leadership in evangelism; and WHEREAS, The Synod in convention has commended these colleges for introducing director of evangelism programs and has urged congregations to consider utilizing these workers (Res. 1-11, 1981 Proceedings, page 133); therefore be it Resolved, That directors of evangelism prepared in ap- proved programs of synodical colleges be granted official synodical church worker status including placement by the Board of Assignments and listing on the roster of the Synod. Faculty Concordia College St. Paul, Minn. Carroll E. Peter, Secretary To Declare Women Teachers ‘Ministers of Religion” WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod regards its pastors and male teachers as ‘ministers of religion” for purposes of federal income tax, social security, unemployment tax, and selective service but does not so regard its women teachers; and WHEREAS, This discrimination works a financial hardship on women teachers and could conceivably make them subject to the military draft while exempting their male counterparts; an WHEREAS, The Synod’s present policy runs the risk of jeopardizing the “minister of religion” status for male teachers since male and female teachers perform virtually identical functions on a regular basis; and WHEREAS, After a two-year study of this issue, the Synod’s Board of Directors is reportedly open to a designation of women teachers as ‘ministers of religion” for legal purposes; therefore be it Resolved, That duly ordained pastors and duly commis- sioned male and female teachers who are listed on the official rosters of the Synod are regarded by The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod as ‘ministers of religion” for the purposes of United States income taxes, social security (FICA and self- employment taxes), unemployment taxes, and selective ser- vice; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod ask its officers and attorneys, as appropriate, to render assistance to pastors and teachers on the rosters in the event such status should be challenged by governmental entities; and be it finally Resolved, That the necessary and appropriate designations also be applied to rostered pastors and teachers serving in Canada or other nations. Zion Ev. Lutheran Church Westwood, N.J. Martin Preede, President Norman Brinkmann, Pastor Identical or similar: 5-31B to 5-31H Grace, Warminster, Pa. St. James, Grand Rapids, Mich. Grace, Hazel Crest, III. Kenneth S. Hahn First, Helena, Mont. Thomas Van der Bloemen Town & Country, Sacramento, Calif. Waldemar Thiele Mt. Olive, Pasadena. Calif. Jeff Matson Trinity, Spencerport, N.Y. Chas. N. Goehring Paul Aldinger R.S. Miller 5-32 To Declare Women Teachers and Directors of Christian Education ‘‘Ministers of Religion’”’ WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod regards its pastors and male teachers as “ministers of religion” for purposes of federal income tax, Social Security, unemployment tax, and Selective Service but does not so regard its women teachers and directors of Christian education; and WHEREAS, This discrimination works a financial hardship on women teachers and directors of Christian education and could conceivably make them subject to the military draft while exempting their male counterparts; and WHEREAS, The Synod’s present policy runs the risk of jeopardizing the ‘‘minister of religion” status for male tea- chers, since male and female teachers and directors of Chris- tian education perform virtually identical functions on a regular basis; and WHEREAS, After a two-year study on this issue, the Synod’s Board of Directors is reportedly open to designation of women teachers and directors of Christian education as “ministers of religion” for legal purposes; therefore, be it Resolved, That duly ordained pastors and duly com- missioned male and female teachers and directors of Christian education who are listed on the official rosters of the Synod are regarded by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as “minis- ters of religion” for the purposes of United States income taxes, Social Security (FICA and self-employment taxes), unemploy- ment taxes, and Selective Service; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod ask its officers and attorney as appropriate, to render assistance to pastors, teachers and directors of Christian education on the rosters in the event such status should be challenged by governmental entities; and be it finally Resolved, That the necessary and appropriate designations also be applied to rostered pastors, teachers, and directors of Christian education serving in Canada or other nations. Trinity Lutheran Church Northfield, Minn. Marie Enfield, Secretary 5-33 To Defend Men and Women Equally Before the IRS WHEREAS, Women compose a large percentage of the teachers of the Ohio District and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod in general; and WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod includes women in its teacher training schools; and WHEREAS, The Synod has, in convention, designated women teachers as members of the Synod; and WHEREAS, Women teachers’ status with the Internal Revenue Service differs from that of the men teachers; and WHEREAS, The Synod presently will not defend the status of women teachers with the Internal Revenue Service; therefore be it Resolved, That the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod be petitioned, in convention, to defend men and women teachers equally in dealings with the Internal Revenue Service. Ohio District Teachers Conference Karen Schmidtgoessling, Secretary 5-34 To Clarify the Status and Classification of Individuals in Specialized Ministries WHEREAS, Synodically educated teachers who serve in Christian schools participate in the ministry of the Word, as do synodically educated directors of Christian education; and